Highlights

• The Tellers Committee convened last week to verify that Jennifer Nitzky, FASLA, has been elected as ASLA's next President-Elect. She will be officially sworn in along with VP-Elects Taylor Keegan, ASLA, and Andrew Wickham, ASLA, during the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture this October in Los Angeles. She will serve as ASLA President for 2027-2028. Thank you to Chris Della Vedova, FASLA, for his participation in this year's election.
• The 2027 Call for Committee Service is open! Join us in making a lasting impact on the landscape architecture profession. Sign up for a committee today and become part of a dynamic team dedicated to innovation, advocacy, and excellence. The call is open until July 3.
• President Brad McCauley, FASLA, will be hosting his third and final Groundworks series, "The Resilient Practice: Designing Careers and Firms that Sustain People" on Tuesday, June 23 at 1:00pm ET. You can register for free here.
• The list of members eligible to apply for the next cycle of nominations to the ASLA Council of Fellows was posted on the Chapter Presidents BaseCamp site on June 9. The Fellows application process officially opens in October and will close February 1, 2027, but chapters are strongly encouraged to begin identifying and supporting candidates now.
• ASLA's new Member Voices database is now live, housing quotes gathered from member testimony interviews and organized by both member and topic. The resource is available to CPC chapters to draw from for their own promotional efforts.
• The ASLA Fund has launched the implementation phase for the Greening Communities with Landscape Advisory Panels (LAPs) program following a $75,000 contribution from Honda. Efforts are currently focused on identifying 5-6 priority community sites and building a roster of pro bono design experts for 2026. Leadership and staff are encouraged to refer potential underserved community partners or firm volunteers to Judy Mehlman via the online referral form.
• The Early bird registration rate for ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in Los Angeles ended on June 15. The advanced rate deadline is August 4. Field sessions are selling quickly, so please purchase your special event tickets before the next deadline. Check the availability for your preferred sessions and secure your spots soon!

Advocacy + Licensure

Government Affairs – General

• Grassroots Advocacy: ASLA and its advocates continue to use the iAdvocate Network to make landscape architects' voices heard on Capitol Hill, the federal agencies, and across state legislatures. ASLA urges all members to use the iAdvocate Network to send messages on active transportation, licensure, urban heat, student loans, and more.

State Government Affairs

• State Legislative Sessions: As of June 8, 10 states remain in regular legislative session, and ASLA is currently tracking over 80 legislative proposals nationwide. Members and chapters can follow occupational licensure legislation on our tracking webpage or view this June report. Over the past month, the State Government Affairs team has worked closely with multiple chapters and partners to address legislative activity impacting the profession, including:
  • Hawaiʻi (SB 2607 – Licensure Modernization): Governor Josh Green signed SB 2607 into law on May 29, authorizing the State Board to establish education and examination requirements for landscape architect licensure and updating the profession's experience requirements. Importantly, the legislation creates a pathway for the Board to consider adoption of the CLARB Uniform Licensure Standard in the future. This achievement reflects the sustained advocacy of the Hawaiʻi Chapter, supported by ASLA Government Affairs, to advance a modern and effective licensure framework.
  • Alaska (HB 314 – Board Reauthorization): House Bill 314 has passed the Alaska Legislature and awaits action by Governor Mike Dunleavy. The bill, among other provisions, reauthorizes the Alaska State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors (AELS), ensuring continued oversight of the design professions and regulatory certainty for practitioners across the state. ASLA Government Affairs is working with Alaska Chapter leaders and allied organizations to encourage the Governor's signature before the June 18 deadline.

Federal Government Affairs

• Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act: ASLA has officially endorsed the Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Dina Titus (D-NV) to protect the historic viewsheds, landscape character, and visitor experience of Arlington National Cemetery by prohibiting construction of the proposed "triumphal arch" adjacent to the cemetery. In its support letter, ASLA highlighted the essential role landscape architects play in preserving and stewarding nationally significant landscapes, cultural resources, and the integrity of iconic public places.
• Active Transportation Update: On May 22, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act, a bipartisan five-year, $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill, by a 62–2 vote. While the legislation includes several ASLA transportation-related priorities, including the Transportation Alternatives Program, Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, and the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, the measure makes it easier for states to transfer these funds to other projects and severely restricts funding for the planning phases of projects. The BUILD America 250 Act may be considered by the full House as early as June or July 2026 ahead of the September 30 expiration of current surface transportation programs. As the measure moves to the full House, ASLA will continue to advocate for robust active transportation programs and funding and urge increased funding for planning. Currently, the Senate has not taken any action on a surface transportation bill.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Comments: ASLA joined a coalition letter led by the Water Protection Network urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to strengthen environmental protections as it considers future updates to the Nationwide Permit program. The letter encourages the Corps to incorporate and prioritize nature-based solutions across Nationwide Permits, where appropriate, to help avoid and minimize impacts to rivers, streams, wetlands, and other aquatic resources.
• ASLA Federal Government Affairs Actions Matrix: ASLA Government Affairs continues to respond to Trump administration actions and other federal policy developments important to the profession. Government Affairs has developed a Federal Government Affairs Actions Matrix to track key legislative, regulatory, and administrative actions, as well as ASLA advocacy activities. The matrix highlights federal developments and ASLA advocacy efforts on issues important to landscape architects and the profession.
• ASLA Government Affairs continues to be an active member in several coalitions, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition, National Complete Streets Coalition, Transportation4American Policy Group, National Parks Second Century Action Coalition, Sustainable Urban Forest Coalition, Percent for Place, Outdoor Alliance for Kids, and others. Also, ASLA leads the Green Infrastructure Working Group, which focuses on policies to advance the use of green infrastructure.

Practice

Climate & Biodiversity Action

• The ASLA Fund announced a team from Virginia Tech School of Design – Dr. Jenn Engelke, ASLA, PhD, PLA, assistant professor of landscape architecture, and Betsy Painter, graduate student – have been awarded a $15,000 national competitive research grant to investigate landscape architecture solutions to inland flooding. The research will be published on ASLA.org and openly accessible in spring 2027.
• Dr. Engelke and Painter will explore landscape architecture strategies that are most effective at reducing inland flooding. They will identify planning and design approaches that have demonstrated flood reduction benefits while also sequestering carbon, improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, and reducing heat impacts.
• The ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Committee hosted a webinar Small Landscape Architecture Firms Take Action on Climate & Biodiversity on May 28 with Aida Curtis, FASLA, Emily Dunaway, ASLA, and Chelsea Gieryic, ASLA.
• The ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action and communications teams along with the ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Committee developed a social media campaign focused on how to bring together climate and biodiversity in an equitable way. Over a month, ASLA released 13 posts, which together achieved 222,000 impressions, 18,000 engagements, and sent nearly 10,000 pageviews to the new ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Plan web pages and contributing firm websites.
• ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Fellow Keenan Gibbons, ASLA, PLA, published the first in a series of posts in The Dirt – We've Been Looking at Heat Wrong and It's Killing Us.
• The ASLA Climate & Biodiversity Action Committee published a new resource—Leading with Performance and Tradition: How to Talk About Climate & Biodiversity with Conservative Communities. Jonathan Williams, ASLA, PLA, developed the guide, which includes sections that provide quick start ideas, approaches for applying the language in practice, and example language.
• ASLA was successful in applying to be an official observer to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Armenia in October.

Professional Practice

• The Professional Practice Network leadership teams have begun meeting to establish their priorities for the year. As part of an expansion of member benefits, members will be able to join up to three networks free of charge starting early next month.
• The second quarter SKILL | ED Pulse Check roundtable examines how landscape architecture firms can navigate shifting immigration policies to successfully recruit, hire, and retain international talent — featuring a panel of international professionals and an HR expert sharing real-world strategies. It is scheduled for June 25: Global Talent, Local Practice: Navigating Immigration, Visas, and the Future of a Global Workforce.
• Participants in the SKILL | ED Firm Leadership Accelerator program recently completed their second course, "Branding, Marketing, and Business Development." Led by Appleseed Strategy, the session focused on market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pipeline projections.

Conference and Meetings

• The ASLA 2026 conference Education program has been approved by LA CES, AIA, AICP, ISA, and the Florida licensing board. The program has also been submitted to the NY licensing board. The conference website is being updated as approvals are received.

Development & Strategic Partnerships

• The Founders Club is holding its next Founders Club Town Hall in September. Join today and be part of the club! Join for as little as $18.99/month.
• The ASLA Fund will be hosting the Annual ASLA Fund Founders Club Reception in LA on September 17.

Communications

• Across ASLA's social media channels, the total audience reached 336,294, with net audience growth of 903. ASLA generated 593,323 impressions, 48,254 engagements, and 26,938 post link clicks, with an overall engagement rate of 8.1 percent. In June, communication efforts will focus on promotion of the Federal and State Legislative Priorities Survey, Early Bird ASLA 2026 conference registration, and the Emerging Professionals Design Competition.

Honors and Awards

• Honors, Outstanding Service Awards, Honorary Members, and Bradford Williams Medals were announced in the June 16 edition of LAND. New this year is the announcement of the Dale Jaeger LAAB Outstanding Service Award, which will be presented along with the Outstanding Service Awards and Honorary Members.

Landscape Architecture Magazine

LAM Online Traffic Data: (May 11–June 8)

Top 3 posts:

1. Water Wise by Diana Budds; May 13; 339 views
2. The Year of Doing Less with Less by Bradford McKee; May 6; 225 views
3. Your Mileage May Vary by David Tobenkin; April 22; 168 views

• Total Views: 4,381 (up 8% from previous 4-week period)
• Views of main LAM web page: 1,079 (down 5.8% from previous 4-week period)
• Total active users: 1,470 (up 10.8% from previous 4-week period)
• Total new users: 1,355 (up 15.3% from previous 4-week period)
• Returning users: 376 (down 6% from previous 4-week period)

Data about The Landscape Report:

* May include MPP opens and bot clicks

Education and Career Discovery

• At Ball State University, one faculty member transformed a lifelong love of children's literature into an innovative new learning experience for landscape architecture students. Inspired by ASLA's STEM Literacy by Design initiative, Department of Landscape Architecture Assistant Teaching Professor Kathleen Unland designed a spring 2026 elective course that challenged students to turn complex design concepts into engaging children's books. The course, titled Stories by Design, invited students to move beyond traditional classroom learning and into the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, synthesizing knowledge and transforming it into something entirely new. Before developing their own books, students studied an assortment of children's books from ASLA's STEM Literacy by Design collection to better understand storytelling techniques, character development, and the structure of successful children's literature. Then, through Ball State's Immersive Learning Program, students collaborated with Acton Academy at Fall Creek, working directly with children ages 8-11 throughout the semester. During multiple visits, students gathered feedback on reading preferences, tested draft stories, and refined their work based on input from young readers. Learn more about the course, Professor Unland, her students, and their published works in From Studio to Storybook: Career Discovery Program Inspires New Course for Future Landscape Architects.

Member and Chapter Services

• The Member Engagement Committee hosted a new member town hall on May 19. New members were provided with an overview of ASLA membership and benefits, highlighting ways to engage at the chapter and national level, and the range of benefits available to members at all career stages.

Governance / Leadership

• President McCauley and CEO Torey Carter-Conneen, Hon. ASLA, both participated in the Landscape Architecture Foundation's Summit in early June. Immediately after, they also represented ASLA at the Canadian Society of Landscapes Annual Congress. Both will be hosting ASLA's Summer Executive Committee Meeting in Washington, D.C., at the end of the month.
• President McCauley also represented ASLA at the American Institute of Architects annual conference, Jun 10-13 in San Diego.
• CEO Torey Carter-Conneen and Development Managing Director Daniel Martin, Hon. ASLA, are participating in industry partner meetings this week. They will be visiting Hunter Industries, Old Town Fiberglass, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, and Disney Landscape Architecture. They will also meet with the ASLA San Diego Chapter.

Deadlines and Reminders